Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in China
China: Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre was 0.022 hectares per square kilometre in 2023. ▼ Falling
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in China, 2002–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in hectares per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in China stood at 0.022 hectares per square kilometre.
That represents a change of up 119.5% on the previous year and up 27.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in China peaked at 0.0373 hectares per square kilometre in 2003 and was at its lowest, 0.0068 hectares per square kilometre, in 2021.
That places China 101st out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in China, year by year
| Year | hectares per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 0.0185 hectares per square kilometre | — |
| 2003 | 0.0373 hectares per square kilometre | +101.1% |
| 2004 | 0.0086 hectares per square kilometre | -77.0% |
| 2005 | 0.0175 hectares per square kilometre | +104.7% |
| 2006 | 0.0121 hectares per square kilometre | -31.3% |
| 2007 | 0.0131 hectares per square kilometre | +8.8% |
| 2008 | 0.0363 hectares per square kilometre | +177.0% |
| 2009 | 0.0199 hectares per square kilometre | -45.2% |
| 2010 | 0.0125 hectares per square kilometre | -37.2% |
| 2011 | 0.0118 hectares per square kilometre | -5.8% |
| 2012 | 0.0216 hectares per square kilometre | +83.4% |
| 2013 | 0.0173 hectares per square kilometre | -20.0% |
| 2014 | 0.0272 hectares per square kilometre | +57.1% |
| 2015 | 0.0213 hectares per square kilometre | -21.7% |
| 2016 | 0.0117 hectares per square kilometre | -45.2% |
| 2017 | 0.0155 hectares per square kilometre | +33.2% |
| 2018 | 0.0134 hectares per square kilometre | -13.9% |
| 2019 | 0.0306 hectares per square kilometre | +128.7% |
| 2020 | 0.0168 hectares per square kilometre | -45.2% |
| 2021 | 0.0068 hectares per square kilometre | -59.3% |
| 2022 | 0.01 hectares per square kilometre | +47.0% |
| 2023 | 0.022 hectares per square kilometre | +119.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.0204 hectares per square kilometre | 0.0086 hectares per square kilometre | 0.0373 hectares per square kilometre | 8 |
| 2010s | 0.0183 hectares per square kilometre | 0.0117 hectares per square kilometre | 0.0306 hectares per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0139 hectares per square kilometre | 0.0068 hectares per square kilometre | 0.022 hectares per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
- 98 Turkmenistan 0.0254 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 99 Spain 0.025 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 100 Turkey 0.0233 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 102 Bahamas 0.015 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 103 El Salvador 0.0145 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 104 Romania 0.0136 hectares per square kilometre compare
More reference data data for China
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 49.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 75.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 18.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 165.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 206.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 350.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,480 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 102.37 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in China?
- Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in China was 0.022 hectares per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 0.0373 hectares per square kilometre in 2003.
- What is the lowest area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0068 hectares per square kilometre in 2021.
- How does China rank for area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre?
- China ranks 101st out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Area burned by wildfires by land cover type Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.